Report: Cro Cop Offered New Deal With DREAM

Former PRIDE heavyweight standout Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic has reportedly been offered a new deal with Japanese-based DREAM. Under its terms, the Croatian would be granted a K-1 rules bout against rival Alistair Overeem among other things.

In July, the Japanese want me to reprise my fight with Alistair Overeemom and by K-1 rules,” Filopovic said. “I have nothing against continuing last year’s fight, which ended prematurely.”

According to Sportal, “when [K-1] heard that the president of UFC Dana White called Mirko to go back into the cage, people from DREAM reacted quickly”.

The purported three-fight deal includes the K-1 match with Overeem and two MMA rules fights, one of which could be with Fedor Emelianenko.

A potential heavyweight grand prix involving the three aforementioned fighters is also rumored but I’m not going to hold my breath went it comes to the plans of the Japanese. Cro Cop was last said to be headed back to the UFC, potentially for a bout at UFC 99, but that’s not happening. Until he can get back on track, DREAM is probably the best place for Cro Cop, because a return to the UFC likely wouldn’t result in him being fed anyone like Eddie Sanchez from the start.